I Literally “Lost The Roof Over My Head”!

How would you fare if you totally lost the roof over your head? Would you be prepared? Could you just “drive on” as if it was no big deal?

Many of us year-round camping “full-timers” enjoy the fact that when the weather gets rough, we can just pack up and go at a moment’s notice. There’s a peculiar sense of security — not to mention pride — to be found in the kind of mobility that comes from being able to live simply, free of unnecessary baggage.

On the other hand, we’re always aware that there’s a fine line between being “home free” as I like to call it, and literally “homeless”. An example would be if the lightweight popup roof on your little house on wheels suddenly decided to fly off on it’s own freeway adventure, leaving you literally “without a roof over your head.”

I’m slightly embarrassed to say — I have crossed that line!

It happened like this:

The other day while hurrying myself back to mydispersed camping spot before it would be too dark to navigate the maze of dirt roads, I noticed a strange piece of something fly by in my rearview. In that moment I thought little of it. The day before, a tree had caught on my front air scoop and ripped some thin plywood, so I figured it had given up and let the wind carry it away. But when I eventually pulled over to check on it, I got such a surprise I could only laugh at the absurdity of it — my entire roof (with solar panel and popup mechanism) had blown clean off!

(I have vague memory of maybe forgetting to close one latch. Lesson learned.)

I attempted to circle around and find it, but being close to dark on an unfamiliar road, I just wound up getting lost and decided to head back to camp. After my morning search turned up nothing, I resolved to do the only thing I could — Build another!

I needed to rebuild it from scratch anyway — I’d just assumed I would tackle that project when I had money to do it. 🙂 Unfortunately, such is not the case. So I’ve tarped over it and have moved into the tent until I can raise enough funds to put a real roof over my head.

Conveniently enough, there’s a Home Depot just five miles away! A basic uninsulated frame and plywood roof would cost me about $50. Styrofoam insulation would add around $30. And a full foam-sandwich style roof as described in my ebook with elastomeric coating should cost me total about $120.

(Note that I’m currently ok on solar-recharging, because I still had parts to make a second solar panel that I never got around to making. I just finished it — I just need a roof to install it on!)

I could sure use some help rebuilding! Would you like to help out?

Here’s what I propose: In appreciation for your contribution (lets say $5 or more) in my time of need, I’ll set you up to not only receive the paid version of my ebook for free when it’s available, but I’ll also arrange for you a free lifetime membership to my video instruction site, where I’ll be loading all of my DIY truck camper design and construction videos.

In addition, if I can raise enough funds, I’ll put it towards a redesigned popup mechanism, using some new ideas I’ve thought up for keeping the cost down. And anything beyond that will serve to get me back and forth to coffee and wifi to put it all online for your benefit.

If you’d like to help out, please use the Paypal donation button below.

Thanks in advance!

Mobile Rik

Note: If the button above happens not to work for you, there’s also a donate button in the footer. Thanks!

Donations received: 21

Update: I’ve received enough donations to complete my roof! (THANKS!) At the current amount, I can make a good roof. I almost have enough to experiment with a full popup, but not quite. Any further donations will help towards that goal, as well as getting to Home Depot and back (now 30 miles away — I’d used up my 14 days and had to move forests!) and getting back and forth from the wilderness to Starbucks to work on my private video site and complete ebook plans.